Embracing the Mess: Finding Unity in a Divided Church
Are you dealing with immature people? Is it doing its intended work in you?
Ugh. Church is hard. Building together, working through issues as they arise, is tough work. Partnering with God in ministry, marriage, and business is not for the faint of heart, to be sure. We want what we want, we see things how we see them, and God sets us right alongside people who are, well, different than us.
In the relational press, some of us will fight for our own way, and some of us are more prone to drawing back. Some of us become paralyzed in the question of why things are so difficult.
And the answer to that is simple: God only saves broken messed up people. You’re a mess. I’m a mess. The new guy coming in, he’s definitely a mess. That’s the one thing we can count on. None of us has it together.
So how do we move forward? How do we come together as the Body, as the Church?
I think we know the answer, we just don’t like it. I do not like it. My flesh bows up, and wants to resist. And yet… My spirit is already leaping to lay hold.
What’s the answer?
Humility.
The church, covenantal relationships, only work when we humble ourselves. Go on, join me in breathing out our collective “Ugh.”
Romans 15:1 Now, those who are mature in their faith can easily be recognized, for they don’t live to please themselves but have learned to patiently embrace others in their immaturity. 2 Our goal must be to empower others to do what is right and good for them, and to bring them into spiritual maturity. 3 For not even the most powerful one of all, the Anointed One, lived to please himself. His life fulfilled the Scripture that says:
All the insults of those who insulted you fall upon me.
This would fall under the command of Jesus to “take up Your cross and follow.” (Matthew 16:24-26) And while this is impossible to do in the flesh, by human effort alone, as we yield our hearts to the One who loves us best and most, receiving His perspective and grace, we find that this Way leads to life and peace.
This morning I accidentally read the wrong chapters. I read from 1 Kings and not 2 Kings, which put me in the story of Solomon and the two mothers. But the passage solidified what the Lord was already highlighting from Romans 15.
1 Kings 3:23 Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’” 24 And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king. 25 And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” 26 Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.” 27 Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.”
True mothers in the faith will give all for the sake of love. They would rather “lose” than hurt their children. And for those of us who see ourselves as mature, or maturing in the faith, we must come into this understanding. Don’t kill the baby! Don’t divide the body!
Are you dealing with immature people? Are you offended at the church?
Well! Keep on keeping on. Be patient. Breathe deep. Honor the one God loves. Serve the one for which Jesus gave up everything. Love your brother. Honor your sister. Humble yourself and keep on keeping on.
Deepening Faith: Reflective Journal Prompts
- Reflect on Humility: Considering Romans 15:1-3, journal about a time when you had to embrace humility to support someone in their spiritual immaturity. How did it change your perspective on serving others within the church?
- The Challenge of Immaturity: Reflect on your own reactions to encountering immaturity in the church. How can you apply patience and understanding to foster unity and growth, both in yourself and in those around you?
- Solomon’s Wisdom and Love: Reflecting on the story of Solomon and the two mothers from 1 Kings 3, consider what it means to be a “true mother” or “true father” in faith. How can you demonstrate a similar selfless love and wisdom in your faith community?
- Dealing with Differences: Think about a time when God placed you alongside someone very different from you. How did this challenge your faith, and what did it teach you about God’s purpose for diversity within His body?
- Your Role in Unity: How can you contribute to unity within your church, especially when facing division or differences of opinion? Journal about practical steps you can take to embody the humility Christ calls us to, in order to build up the Body of Christ.
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